Review: Voices that resonate, The Wailin’ Jennys
On the night of the concert, Ellen Eccles Theatre was filled with NPR T-shirts and cowboy boots. It was the first time The Wailin’ Jennys, a Canadian music group, visited Utah since 2008.
“Was anybody here at our Park City show?” Nicky Mehta, member of the folk group, called out to the audience. A few whoops burst from the crowd, and people began to shout where they had seen the Jennys.
“Chicago!” “Alaska!” “Breckenridge!” The room pulsed with middle-aged fervor.
The group performed an entire musical history, playing everything from their first album to yet-to-be-released tracks. Member Ruth Moody joked they’re on their “Eras Tour.” The Jennys have been singing together since 2002, and their deep, round harmonies prove it. The evolution of their music is clear with traces of ‘90s folk, Celtic music, jazz and bluegrass woven into their repertoire.
Singers Moody, Mehta and Heather Masse each bring a unique flavor to the vocals. In the gaps between touring and recording that come with motherhood, each singer has recorded solo work, but their harmonies remain selfless, each singer giving space for the other voices.
Though prone to forgettable strummy folk, nearly every song ended with a serene echo that hung over the audience after the singing stopped. This phenomenon could perhaps be attributed to Moody’s clear, youthful soprano best demonstrated in “Prairie Town.” Despite being recorded in 2006, the piece has a modern feel — something that could be found on the playlist of an aspiring poet or teenage boygenius fan. Though it was written about Moody and Mehta’s far away Canadian hometown, it feels especially relevant to those of us who have made our home in Cache Valley or any other small town.
Beneath their harmonies, the music had a driving beat, created using over eight types of instruments, which were frequently changed between songs. Ethan Sherman’s electric guitar added depth to tracks that otherwise would have drowned in acoustic, and Richard Moody switched effortlessly between the fiddle, viola and mandolin.
The bass was the perfect instrument for Masse with her deep, jazzy voice that occasionally dipped into the tenor range. She couldn’t stop smiling while she sang. Her voice added intrigue to every song and shone especially bright on “Cherry Blossom Love.” It was distinct from anything else they performed — the kind of song you imagine wafting out of a New Orleans jazz bar — and showcased Masse’s impressive vocal control and range.
Mehta charmed an audience who was mostly too well-behaved and effortlessly balanced the drums, harmonica and vocals. Mehta, who admitted she almost exclusively writes songs about death, sang artfully about sorrow and emotional turmoil without the in-your-face factor so prevalent in today’s popular music.
The Jennys leaned into poetic images and real emotions, something they were also able to convey in covers. Particularly moving was their performance of Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me in Your Heart,” which he wrote as a farewell to his family while fighting cancer.
Despite being uniquely talented vocalists, the Jennys’ essence lies in sisterhood. Perhaps the best moment of the night was the last song, an acapella performance of traditional Irish folk tune “The Parting Glass.” Standing shoulder to shoulder in the blue stage light with no instruments or microphone, The Wailin’ Jennys reminded us music and togetherness are something holy.